


Love Always

by ausfil



Category: Westlife
Genre: 'LOVE ALWAYS' IS OUT NOW, Anniversary, Boys In Love, Cheesy, Crying, Cute, Declarations Of Love, Established Relationship, Fluff, Friendship, Long-Term Relationship(s), Love, M/M, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Romance, Same-Sex Marriage, like really really cheesy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-19 14:17:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11899509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ausfil/pseuds/ausfil
Summary: On their eighth anniversary, Shane finally decides to make the most important promise of his life.





	Love Always

**Author's Note:**

> Celebrating the release of Shane’s new album – Love Always! Happy album release day! How fucking amazing and emotional is it? I’m ready to cry to this forever.
> 
> The album is available everywhere across the globe so go and get it if you haven’t already. You won’t regret it. Gogogo. Buybuybuy. Streamstreamstream.
> 
>  
> 
> !! BUY AND STREAM THE **LOVE ALWAYS** ALBUM !!
> 
> <http://smarturl.it/SFLoveAlways>

“I have no idea why I’m cooking your meal for you.” Kian complained, a hand on his hip while he stirred the pot with the other.

“Shut up, Egan. At least you’re not stuck cleaning this fucking pig sty.” Mark laughed, gesturing around Shane’s house that looked like a scene from a crap war movie.

“Well, I can’t cook and clean at the same time! And I don’t know how to make mushroom sauce.”

Shane’s mind was focused on a million things at once – was about to shatter any minute now as he darted around the house, picking up garbage from the floor and trying to think of how to set the table _and_ thinking about a speech _and_ also keeping an eye on both of his bandmates _and_ trying to ignore the ridiculously fast beat of his heart. If only he had a million eyes and a million minds.

“It’s the most important night of my life, lads. It has to be perfect.”

Mark voiced a playful moan of disgust, but was smiling at how nervous Shane looked. He felt like a proud father, watching his two precious kids get married. Which was fucked up, but at least he finally understood what Michael Scott meant. “It’s gonna be great. Just don’t screw it up in the moment. Don’t stutter.”

Shane nodded, filling up his lungs with its lacking air, and took a quick scan of the living room. “Should I not… do it at our house? Maybe it’s not extravagant enough. I feel like Nicky would be disappointed.”

“Hey, now.” Mark put a hand on Shane’s tense shoulder. “Why would he be disappointed? Nicky loves you. He would be more than happy. He wouldn’t care where you do it.”

“Okay, yeah… yeah, you’re right.” Shane smiled and relaxed a bit underneath his friend’s supportive hand. He felt his pocket for more comfort, felt the small square box that held the most valuable promise of his life. He felt warm and fuzzy even thinking about it. Sure, he was nervous, but it was the only thing he wanted to do.

Mark turned to wipe down the dinner table and Shane turned to focus on another part of this chaos. He walked into the kitchen, saw Kian sprinkle pepper on pads of raw meat.

“Thanks, man. I really appreciate this.” He patted his friend on the back.

“It’s alright. I’m having fun, actually.” Kian went back to stirring the mushroom sauce. “So, eight years and finally doing it, huh?”

“Yeah, finally doing it. Fuck. I’m nervous.”

They had talked about it for a while – about spending the rest of their lives together, about officially tying the knot and promising forever. There wasn’t even a single moment of doubt for both of them. Falling as hard as they did in each other, there was no space for doubt.

“Ready for it?”

Shane grinned, confidence wrapping around his heart like iron. “I am.”

***

When the doorbell rang, Shane almost shat his pants. He took multiple deep breaths – that did nothing to calm him down – and went to open the door. He ran his gaze over those angelic blue eyes, golden hair neatly gelled, a simple white button-up shirt and tight black jeans. _Jesus_.

“Chardonnay delivery.” Nicky lifted the bottle of white wine in his hands and Shane took it with a grateful smile, but he couldn’t focus on the wine right now. It was strange how, after eight long years, his heart still did leaps for Nicky.

“God, you look gorgeous.” Shane lilted.

“You look even more gorgeous. And me,” Nicky shrugged and pouted. “I wanted to change and look better for you but then I would be late, and I didn’t want to do that.”

“Babe, you look perfect.” Shane gave Nicky a quick kiss and closed the door. “Happy eighth anniversary.” He leaned up, whispered in Nicky’s ear. Nicky felt a pleasuring shudder shoot down his spine as a cheeky tickle flipped up the corners of his lips.

“Very happy indeed.” Nicky snaked his hands around Shane’s waist, pulling him closer and brushing a soft kiss to the sensitive skin of Shane’s neck. He heard him let out a moan, which was easily the most beautiful sound in the world.

“Wait.” Shane put a hand on Nicky’s shoulder and Nicky pulled his head back. “Dinner first. And then I’ll let you feel me up.”

“Urgh. Fine.” Nicky play-rolled his eyes and took Shane’s hand to the dinner table. His eyes widened when he saw the scene. A tall candle casting a warm light to the table, two plates perfectly decorated. He felt like he was in a movie. “Oh my… Holy shit, Shane.”

“I know. I tried real hard for you.” Shane had a cocky grin. He was proud of what he put together. Well, what Kian cooked up and what Mark helped set up. That was a secret. “You like it?”

“Are you kidding me? Of course I do. Thank you so much. You’re lovely.” Nicky caressed Shane’s cheek with his lip before sitting down on either side of the table.

Shane poured two glasses of wine, holding his up and saying “cheers”, that merry clang of their glasses making a warm spark go off inside of him.

“This looks delicious. And _that_ is a really fat steak. Wow.” Nicky cut into it, moaning when he saw sweet juice ooze out. Shane held his breath as he watched his boyfriend dunk the meat in the mushroom sauce and dip it into his mouth. Nicky chewed and froze for a minute, then melted down into a sudden and gentle giggle.

“What?”

“This,” Nicky pointed at the boat of mushroom sauce with his knife, “is this Kian’s sauce? You can’t make this.”

Shane raised his eyebrow, tried to seem jokingly offended. “Well, what if I did? Don’t underestimate me, Nicky Byrne.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I hate you.” Shane gave in, knowing Nicky too well to fight against him. It was always easier just letting him win. “But that’s all Kian helped me with, I swear.”

“Well, either way, I love it. It’s amazing.”

“Thank god.” Shane let out a chuckle of relief and then could let himself dig into his own steak.

They chatted for a bit – just the usual things – about their day, about their jobs, funny gossip stories. After almost a decade, there wasn’t much new material, and that seemed to be a problem for a lot of other couples but it was perfection for them. It meant that they knew each other inside out, didn’t necessarily need to walk on eggshells and put up barriers and boundaries. They had none. They were one piece melted together like metal; stronger together and unbreakable.

“I can’t believe it’s been eight years.” Shane filled the silence. “We’re fecking old now, aren’t we?”

“Oh, so old.” Nicky laughed and took a sip of the wine. “But I’m glad we are. I wouldn’t go back for the world. I love what we have right now.” Their fingers entwined on the top of the table, eyes holding each other dearly. “Eight years… wow. Eight years since that night you told me that you were in love with me.”

“And have been since I first saw you.” Shane added, and Nicky let out a low laughter of nostalgia.

“And have been since you first saw me,” he echoed, “god, Shane. I’ll never forget that moment. We’ve been through a lot since then.”

“We have, but I love you more than ever now, if that’s even possible. With every passing second. You know that.” Shane cleared his throat, smiled into Nicky’s oceanic blues that carried nothing but pure love for him. This was it. This was the moment. Fucking hell. “And um… I always will.”

“Me too. Always.” Their fingers entwined on the table top, and Nicky couldn’t stop grinning. Shane couldn’t stop his heart from beating. “You’re bloody cheesy, but me too.”

“Well, it’s about to get cheesier.” Shane cleared his throat again, and this time, Nicky’s grin subsided, eyes narrowing in an odd wave of nerves.

Shane couldn’t remember feeling this nervous in his lifetime. When he was auditioning for Simon, or when they had their first TV performance, their first tour – sure, he was nervous, but not like this. This was different. This was _Nicky_ , and Nicky was his entire world – the one thing that he worked for, lived and breathed for.

“I don’t regret a single moment I’ve spent with you. I really think we’re just… perfect, you know? You make me who I am. You mean everything to me, I’m just…” He let out a nervous chuckle. “I’m so in love with you. Completely.”

“I love you too.” Nicky smiled and whispered back, a weird tug at his heart telling him that something else was up. He just couldn’t figure it out yet.

“So um… I have something for you. Hopefully, you’ll like it.” God, the beat in Shane’s heart was almost hard to keep up with. He took a deep shaky breath and stood up, Nicky’s hand still held tight in his, and circled around the table next to Nicky. Nicky looked up in utter confusion.

“Shay, what are you-“

Then Nicky’s throat was forced to squeeze shut, eyebrows raised to the roof.

Shane was bent down on one knee, and it was probably one of the most beautiful things Nicky had ever witnessed in his life. It felt like slow motion when Shane got down, like every single split second was worth taking in and implanting into his memory forever; because it was. Nicky was already crying. He could already feel warm tears flow over all the way down from the pit of his chest, over his cheeks, rimming around his hands that were covering his mouth.

Pulling out a small black box, Shane looked up, tears marking his cheeks too as Nicky gazed down upon him, heavenly blue eyes filled with surprise, joy, excitement... Love. Shane couldn’t help but curve up his lips as he shifted open the box, watching Nicky melt with eyes lighting up even more in glints of gold.

“Oh my god, Shane.” Nicky breathed. “Are you… proposing?”

“Nicky,” he crooned, voice trembling a bit with blissful tears, “you make my life meaningful, and I don’t ever want to imagine it without you.” Both were sobbing, a tear falling with every word that Shane got through, with every word that Shane meant from the bottom of his heart. “If you’ll take me, I promise you; I’ll give you my absolute all. I will spend the rest of my life making sure that you’re happy, feeling loved with every second we spend together, and you’ll never need to hurt again. _Ever_. I promise you that.”

Shane wiped his cheeks and let out a gentle chuckle, heard Nicky do the same. He took a deep breath and stared deep at Nicky, caressing every inch of his face.

“So, Nicky Byrne,” he lifted the ring up, “will you marry me?”

“Yes. A hundred times, yes. Of course. Jesus, I–” Nicky shut himself up and leaped off the edge of his seat to kneel down with Shane, caressing his cheek and closing the gap, bringing two sets of lips together and feeling them mould into one perfect artwork. “I love you so much.”

“Love you.” The widest smile took over Shane’s face as he scooped up Nicky’s left hand. “Ready?”

“God, yes.” Nicky swallowed, biting on his stupid smile as Shane tugged the ring out of the box, slid it effortlessly onto his finger. Perfect feeling, perfect fit. “Shane… it’s beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful.” Shane brushed a sweet, gentle kiss on Nicky’s finger, the ring, then the top of his hand, before guiding himself back to Nicky’s lips. “My _fiancé_.”

“Fiancé.” Nicky repeated. His heart was so full – fuller than it had ever been.

**Author's Note:**

> !! BUY AND STREAM THE **LOVE ALWAYS** ALBUM !!
> 
> <http://smarturl.it/SFLoveAlways>


End file.
